Slippery Slope [Vampire!Riley's Dad x Spongebob x Slenderman [Love Triangle]]

Christmas Special!!

George Washington and Ted Nivison were sitting together on the floor in Ted's living room. It was Christmas Eve, so the whole room had been decked out for the holidays. There was a garland over the mantle and the fireplace was crackling. The soft glow from the fire illuminated their faces. 

"I think that video is going to do well," Ted said, smiling.

"Yeah. We work really well together," George responded.

The room fell into another awkward silence, with the sound of something neither of them could admit buzzing in the backs of their heads. 

"So, uh, I'm assuming you're planning on spending Christmas with Riley's Dad?" Ted was still smiling as he said this, but his eyes weren't telling the same story. 

"Oh, yeah. I mean, I guess," George said. "I don't know where else I'd go for the holidays."

"Well, Gojo and I are going to stay here tomorrow. You and Riley's Dad are welcome to come join us if you want. I'm sure Gojo wouldn't mind the company." As he said this, Ted looked over to the door of the bedroom, where his son slept soundly in his crib.

"I would love to come. I'll have to talk to Riley's Dad, though. It's up to him," George said, chuckling a little.

There was yet another pause, but it wasn't awkward. It was calm and felt well-placed. They both stared quietly into the fire.

"I really like spending time with you," George half-whispered. Ted's heart stopped. Everything froze. Ted looked over at his face, his eyes glimmering with the reflection of the fire. He almost didn't believe that George said that. The room was so still after that, it wasn't far-fetched to believe that it never happened. The yearning was exhausting. It kept him up at night. Maybe this was sleep deprivation and some kind of hallucination or a misunderstanding or his brain trying to see something that wasn't really there. George was engaged. After his relationship with Slenderman fell apart due to his own infidelity, Ted vowed to never make anyone else go through that. He couldn't do that to Riley's Dad.

"Please don't," Ted said.

"What?"

"Don't do this. Don't do this to Riley's Dad. Don't do this to me. I know where this is going. I don't want you to end up like me." His eyes were glazing over with the tears he'd never wanted to show to George. 

"Oh, god, Ted, no," George leaned over and grabbed Ted's hands. "You don't understand." 

"What is there to not understand?" Ted was now officially crying. "You're engaged and you're going to cheat and it's going to be my fault. I don't want this to be my fault. I don't want to ruin your relationship. If I stop things here then you get to go home to Riley's Dad and be happy again. I shouldn't have even let this go as far as it has, I just couldn't resist spending time with you. I'm so stupid. I'm sorry." 

George leaned in and wiped the tears off of Ted's face. He opened his mouth to say something, but their eyes locked and the words he meant to say were already miles away. He kissed Ted. And Ted kissed him. And everything was okay for a moment. 

Suddenly there was a noise from the other room. Gojo was crying and it broke both of them out of the haze they were in. 

"Oh, gosh, Gojo," Ted said, getting up. "The talking must've woken him up."

George was still sitting on the floor while Ted walked over to the bedroom. 

"I think you should go now." Ted wouldn't even turn around to look at him while he said this. He just stood with his hand on the doorknob, frozen.

George got up quietly. He looked over at Ted, who was staring at the floor. Right before he passed the threshold, he stopped for a moment. 

"Merry Christmas, Ted."

"Merry Christmas."